CRI听力：US Envoy in Beijing for 30th Anniversary of Ties

Today, officials from the two countries were in Beijing to commemorate the 30th anniversary of bilateral diplomatic ties.

Analysts say the three decade long relationship has had a major impact on the development of international relations. CRI reporter Chen Xi has the details.

Reporter:
Chinese Foreign Minister Yang Jiechi met with US Deputy Secretary of State John Negroponte in Beijing on Wednesday to commemorate 30 years of formal diplomatic ties between the two countries.

Both officials affirmed the depth and breadth of China-US ties since diplomatic links were established three decades ago.

Despite "twists and turns" in bilateral relations, Chinese Foreign Minister Yang Jiechi said that relations have "on the whole moved forward".

"There have been some twists and turns in this relationship, but the China-US relationship has on the whole moved forward. History has informed us that to develop constructive and cooperative relations between our two countries serves the interest of people in China and the United States and peace, stability and development in our region and the world at large."

Negroponte said he was glad to be in Beijing to mark the anniversary and echoed the foreign minister's sentiments by saying he is also amazed by the progress of US-China relations over the past three decades.

"Both the breadth and the depth of the relationship has reached levels that simply could not have been imagined 30 years ago."

Negroponte joined in a commemorative table tennis match marking China's invitation to a US table tennis team to tour the country in 1971.

Judy Hoarfrost, who was only 15 years old when she played against the Chinese table tennis team then, opened the friendly game with a match against her Chinese counterpart.

"I did not know what impact it would have on the world; I was just playing table tennis. But I'm thrilled that ping pong and my part in ping pong have played a small role in diplomatic relations between China and USA."

In 1971, a U.S. table tennis team paid a visit to China after many years of estrangement and antagonism between the two countries, shocking the entire world and also opening the door for China-U.S. people-to-people contact.

A senior research fellow with the China Institute of Contemporary International Relations Yang Mingjie said China-US relations did not only change the two countries but also reshaped the world.

"I think the development of relations between China and the United States has dramatically influenced the world. This has reorganized and also determined the trend of international strategic patterns. For instance, bilateral and multilateral strategic cooperation has pushed forward the end of the Cold War."(www.hXen.com)

Yang Mingjie's research highlighted the significance of the nine years since the 21st century, which has witnessed China and the US jointly dealing with various global security threats.

He added that as the largest developing and developed countries in the world, China and the US have been both the beneficiaries and the power engines to boost international cooperation and security in today's globalized world.

Chen Xi, CRI News